Bates: Anthology of Fantastic Zoology, Muti

Discs: 1
Record Label: CSO Resound
Release Date: June 10, 2016

"While individual movement titles reference nymphs, sirens, a sprite and a gryphon, this fantastical menagerie becomes a pretext for a grand, playful, surprising, exuberantly colorful concerto for orchestra, one that pays homage to both the full ensemble and to individual members of that ensemble . . . how brilliantly engineered and integrated are the score's sly sonic quirks and how beautifully the music plays to the strengths of the musicians. This is great, audience-pleasing fun going down." — Chicago Tribune

Mason Bates composed Anthology of Fantastic Zoology to close his tenure as Mead Composer-in-Residence with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Based on a story of the Argentine write Jorge Luis Borges, the 11-movement, 35-minute work evokes a series of creatures "familiar and unknown," according to the composer, which he calls "a kind of psychedelic Carnival of the Animals." Listeners are sure to respond to Bates' composition, written with the dramatic abilities of conductor Riccardo Muti and the virtosity of the CSO in mind.

Contents:

Bates Anthology of Fantastic Zoology
June 2015, Orchestra Hall, Chicago